Abbott takes back to back Giro Rosa stages

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Mara Abbott (US National Team) reasserted her stranglehold on the general classification by taking her second solo stage victory in as many days at the Giro Rosa. The 2010 women's Giro overall winner beat her nearest competitor Claudia Häusler (Team Tibco To The Top) by 24-seconds while Francesca Cauz (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) trailed a further 10 seconds behind to claim third into the finish at San Domenico.

Abbott's lead in the pink jersey has now been extended to 2:40 over Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini Giordana) while Häusler and Cauz's efforts on the sixth stage bumped them up to third and fourth overall respectively.

Abbott's position at the top of the GC standings was kept under control during the 121km stage that started out Terme Di Premia before making its final arrival at San Domenico by her US National squad teammates. Reigning road world champion and previous race leader Marianne Vos (Rabo LivGiant) went on the attack with the US team duly setting the tempo before finally reeling in the breakaway and allowing Abbott to go clear on the final ascent.

"Thanks to my teammates I could tackle the race easily and ride at my best," said a smiling Abbott at the finish. "Today was definitely an important stage, but Cremona is still far. We still have two more stages, and everything can change."

US National Team director Jack Seehafer described the day's events with the plan to control the race from start to finish executed perfectly.

"Today's race was a great, and I mean great team effort," said Seehafer. "The ladies executed the plan by racing as a team and controlling the front until the final climb, thus allowing Mara to go to work over the final 10 kilometers. After previewing the course, we knew that it was to our advantage if we could control it till then. Mara was able to complete her job and gain more time as we knew we wanted 2.5 minutes of a lead prior to Saturday and the time trial on Sunday. It was an amazing team effort by the ladies, and all have stepped up to the level of professionalism that was asked of them."

Stage seven's circuit race around Corbetta is designed for the sprinters and should see Abbott retain her overall lead into the final stage on Sunday. The Giro Rosa's final test for the GC candidates and specialists will be 16km individual time trial around Cremona.

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